What is 'chain migration' and why does President Donald Trump want it gone?

In Trump's State of the Union address, he proposed changing the family-immigration system that allows legal immigrants to sponsor family members for green cards, an act that some call "chain migration." Alejandro Barahona/azcentral
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President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.(Photo: Jasper Colt, USA TODAY)

Trump's proposal included a change to the family-immigration system that allows legal immigrants to sponsor family members for green cards, an act that some call "chain migration."

He cited safety and security as reasons to reform the current family-immigration system.

"In recent weeks, two terrorist attacks in New York were made possible by the visa lottery and chain migration," Trump said. "It is time to reform these outdated immigration rules, and finally bring our immigration system into the 21st century."

President Trump has blasted the practice as a massive immigration loophole that terrorists and "truly evil" people can exploit to infiltrate the U.S. Democrats have defended it as a cornerstone of America's immigration history.

As the White House and Congress grapple over immigration legislation, the term "chain migration" has quickly become part of the D.C. lexicon.

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A member of congress takes a photo with President Donald Trump after the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump shakes hands with members of congress after delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump talks with members of congress after delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

North Korean defector Ji Seong-Ho stands after President Donald Trump acknowledged him during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Cindy and Fred Warmbier, the parents of Otto Wambier, stand after President Donald Trump acknowledged them during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Members of President Trump's cabinet applaud Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Staff Sgt. Justin Peck stands as he is acknowledged by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan applaud Staff Sgt. Justin Peck during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Officer Ryan Holets and his wife Rebecca stand next to First Lady Melania Trump as they are acknowledged by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Donald Trump, Jr., and Tiffany Trump applaud as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Corey Adams stands after being acknowledged by Donald Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent CJ Martinez stands as he is acknowledged by President Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Guests of President Donald Trump, Elizabeth Alvarado, Evelyn Rodriguez, and Freddy Cuevas stand as they are acknowledged by President Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. They are the parents of Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas, who were murdered by MS-13 gang members in Sept. 2016.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

First Lady Melania Trump acknowledges Evelyn Rodriguez, and Freddy Cuevas during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. They are the parents of Kayla Cuevas, who was murdered by MS-13 gang members in Sept. 2016.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, applauds as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Sen. Corey Booker, D-N.J., center listens as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Second Lady Karen Pence greets Coast Guard Petty Officer Ashlee Leppert before Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., listen as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Preston Sharp smiles as he is acknowledged by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Sharp was visiting his veteran grandfather's grave in 2015 when he noticed that other local veterans were not being honored with American flags or flowers. To date, he has organized the placement of more than 40,000 American flags and red carnations on soldiers' graves.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience before delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump greets House Speaker Paul Ryan before delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience before delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

President Donald Trump greets members of congress before delivering the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Members of congress gather before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Attorney General of the United States Jeff Session is seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

First Lady Melania Trump is seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

First Lady Melania Trump is seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

From left, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court John Roberts, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice Elena Kagan and Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch are seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Vice President Mike Pence greets members of congress before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Jared Kushner, senior advisor to President Trump and Trump's son-in-law, and Ivanka Trump, advisor to President Trump and Trump's daughter, are seen before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Guests of President Donald Trump, from left, Robert Mickens, Elizabeth Alvarado, Evelyn Rodriguez, and Freddy Cuevas are seen before President Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. The four are the parents of Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas murdered by MS-13 gang members in Sept. 2016.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., left, waits for President Donald Trump to deliver the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Guests of President Donald Trump, David Dahlberg, left, and Jon Bridgers, right, speak before President Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington. Dahlberg fire prevention technician in southern California. He saved 62 children and staff members in July 2017 from a raging wildfire that encircled their camp. Jon Bridgers founded the Cajun Navy 2016, a non-profit rescue and recovery organization that responded to the 2016 flooding in south Louisiana and 2017's Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

Democratic members of congress wear sashes representing countries that President Donald Trump reportedly demeaned ahead of the State of the Union address on Jan. 30, 2018 from the House chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington.
Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

A U.S. citizen from New York City, for example, can sponsor her husband in Nepal for a green card. A green card holder from San Francisco can sponsor his daughter in Senegal. An American in Illinois can sponsor her niece in Israel.

CLOSE

President Donald Trump outlined a 4-pillar immigration plan during his first State of the Union speech on January 30, 2018.

Why does Trump want to end it?

Trump says this process opens the door for too many uneducated, under-qualified, and possibly dangerous, immigrants to legally enter the U.S. He has hammered that point ever since police arrested a 27-year-old man accused of setting off a pipe-bomb in a commuter tunnel near Times Square in December. That suspect, Akayed Ullah, has been living in Brooklyn since 2011 after entering the country on an F-4 visa, which is granted to brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews of U.S. citizens.

CHAIN MIGRATION cannot be allowed to be part of any legislation on Immigration!

How many people come via "chain migration"?

Here's a list of the different categories of family-based immigration and how many people entered the U.S. in 2017 through each category, according to the State Department:

Spouse — 112,631

Minor child — 51,327

Parent — 85,280

Unmarried, adult son or daughter of U.S. citizen, and their children — 22,807

Spouse or child of green card holder and their children — 106,899

Married child of U.S. citizen, their spouse and children — 20,716

Brother or sister of U.S. citizen, their spouse and children — 61,733

The White House posted this infographic that does not cite specific numbers.

What Democrats, voters say

Democrats have defended the idea of family migration, arguing that immigrants have come to America as family units since the nation's founding. Family members become support networks for immigrants as they start learning English, going to school or entering a foreign labor force.

And they say its unfair to punish the hundreds of thousands of people who enter the U.S. each year and become law-abiding members of society because of the actions of one would-be bomber.

Most people agree that Americans should be allowed to bring their immediate relatives (spouse, minor children and parents) along with them. But should their married, adult children get to come along? What about their brother and sister? Or their nieces and nephews?

Those are the questions that lawmakers could hammer out in the following weeks.

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